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Day 2 of the Sheffield Shield left a number of big selection questions unanswered before the first Test starts in Brisbane on November 21st.
There have been a number of Roarers eluding to the possibility Inverarity and company have already picked the squad, and the next two rounds of Shield cricket are merely the net session the Warners of this world needed to have prior to the first ball being bowled.
Highlighting this very strong possibility is the fact that the team is ‘officially’ announced next Tuesday – nine days before the series begins.
If we are to believe this speculation – the starting XI will be as follows:
Warner
Rogers
Watson (if fit)
Clarke
Smith
Bailey
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Harris
Lyon
Forgetting the whole ‘is Nathan Lyon our best spinner?’ question as this is arguably the most debated selection question (shhh all you Mitchell Johnson haters!) – let us look at a few key positions that are looking for the tick of approval leading into the most important Summer of every Australian cricket fans lives.
1. Is David Warner ready?
2. Is Rogers still the man for the top?
3. Was Steven Smith’s hundred at The Oval a one off?
4. Is George Bailey, dare I say it, our next Michael Bevan?
5. What does Peter Siddle do?
6. Has Mitch got back his mojo?
I am most certainly not a prophet that claims the two rounds of Shield cricket thus far has answered all these questions without any further debate being required.
I am simply an Australian cricket fan that has had enough of text messages from English mates asking when we are going bring back Warnie.
Firstly, David Warner – great to watch when in full flight, we all said he needed to get his head right and get runs on the board.
After an ordinary start to the Australian summer with three failures, Warners last eight scores read, 139, 138, 32, 197, 14, 21, 15, 104.
He is in form and more importantly he is confident. He is somebody who, alongside the resilient Rogers, could be the perfect foil against the classy England attack.
Warner’s likely partner at the crease, the evergreen Chris Rogers, missed the slap and tickle of the Ryobi Cup, but his County form in September and his three innings thus far in Sheffield Shield read 32, 55, 108, 8, 65, 36, 42 and 88, top scoring against NSW yesterday for Victoria.
Not compelling reading, but solid top order stats (help me beat away the Ed Cowan disciples still believing in his Test future).
As above, I believe he offers the perfect Yin to Warner’s Yang. Long may he prosper, or please Matty Hayden, dust off the gloves.
I try hard not to like Steve Smith. I felt he was initially handed the baggy green when he hadn’t earned it.
His stats so far this season, apart from a few low scores in the Ryobi Cup, have been excellent, capped off with a timely century today against Victoria.
He has grown into a mature player, and his shot selection has gone from violently brash to viciously selective.
Where once his wicket could be bought on the back of a Corn Flake box, he now is willing to graft and fight and we are now talking top shelf, healthy cereal. A good summer could make this guy into a superstar – I believe he can do it.
Captain George is another thing. I want to believe, but I have to agree with Chapelli; runs playing on the Pacific Highway against a pop gun attack in India doesn’t ensure Ashes success.
I am not sure how accurate the statement he doesn’t have a cover drive is – but it certainly concerns me and should concern the selectors if it is even remotely close to the mark.
In his only real dress rehearsal prior to the team being named at Allan Border Field yesterday, from all reports Ryan Harris had him ducking and weaving for an unconvincing 34.
Considering possible future baggy greener Silk scored 107 and both Cosgrove and Cowan scored 70s, Bailey was tested and did not pass.
Peter Siddle’s 28th year is waning and, in my opinion, he will be handed a birthday gift when he turns 29 on Nov 25th by being in the starting XI for the Gabba Test.
Maybe with the injuries to Pattinson, Starc and Cummins he is the Australian bowling attack’s Steve Bradbury.
I agree, he has been a great servant and toiler for the Australian cricket team. I still get goosebumps when I see replays of him thudded into Stuart Broad’s pads for his hat trick – but picking P. Siddle is not going to pay the Ashes gas bill – as a matter of fact it is going to have our gas shut off.
I believe Doug Bollinger would run in lionhearted and do his best for us out there, but he isn’t going to wrestle the Ashes from Alistair Cook’s pretty little fingers either.
If you did a survey of Australian Shield players of who they didn’t like facing I am almost positive Siddle would not come in the top five
Cutting, Harris, Bird, Faulker, Hilfenhaus, Butterworth, Copeland, Johnson, Sayers, Mennie, Coulter Nile… we are thin in the batting department but we keep churning out quality bowlers.
I want Peter Siddle to do well but solid isn’t good enough, we need wicket takers. I wish him a happy 29th birthday.
Mitchell Johnson. Everybody has an opinion. England supporters rib him, but if given the choice of facing him in full body armour or Peter Siddle in thongs with a kanga cricket bat, most would choose Siddle.
He breaks fingers and gets batsman jumping. When on song, he bashes the ball around the park and is a genuine all-rounder.
He will be there, and I and every other Australian cricket fan hopes whether they love him or hate him, that he hurts England with bat and ball.
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